Cara Delevingne On Feeling "Guilt" Over Depression

Cara Delevingne Opened Up About Feeling "Guilt" Over Her Depression

Model and actress Cara Delevingne has been outspoken about struggling with depression, and in a new book, has opened up further about the mental health issues she went through as a teenager.

Delevingne made an appearance on ITV's This Morning on Monday, on which she discussed her book, Mirror Mirror, as well as the guilt she initially felt as someone who had a "privileged upbringing" but who was also suffering from depression.

As a teen going through "turbulent years," she said, she had a difficult time communicating what she was going through.

"I was so ashamed of how I felt because I had such a privileged upbringing, I'm very lucky," she told the show's hosts. "But I had depression. I had moments where I didn't want to carry on living."

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Feeling guilty over having depression despite living a privileged life kept Delevingne from talking about what she was going through.

Feelings of guilt and helplessness are common symptoms of depression and, like Delevingne, many people who suffer from the mental illness have a hard time asking for help because of it. However, depression affects people no matter how privileged of a life they live — appearing to have a nice life doesn't make you immune from mental health problems.

The moment that Delevingne realized she shouldn't feel ashamed was the moment when her mental health took a turning point.

"It was realizing that I shouldn't be ashamed of feeling these things, and that I wasn't alone — learning that everyone goes through similar things," she said. "That being vulnerable is actually a strength not a weakness, and showing your emotion and being honest about it [is good.]"

Having gone through what she did inspired her to write her book to reach out to others who may also be suffering.

"I felt like it was my duty, especially for teenagers now who grow up with so much pressure and social media and so much issues with identity and sexuality and family stuff, there's just so much, and I felt like it was my duty to write a book they could really connect to," she said.

If you are experiencing depression and need support, please call the National Depressive/Manic-Depressive Association Hotline at 1-800-826-3632 or the Crisis Call Center’s 24-hour hotline at 1-775-784-8090.